Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-09-09
CHAPTER II.

The old housekeeper, Mother Dondaine, as
she was called, at her usual hour began her
duties in the little cottage which had been in
habited by Larouette. As she went about
she discovered, somewhat to her surprise
that the windows vera open, and when she
had finished busting md sweeping she went
to arrange Larouettes room. But she stood
petriied upon the threshold with her eyes
starting from her head, as she saw stretched
upon the floor in the midst of the
broken and disordered furniture, the secre-
tary open and apparently rihed, her master
dead with ball in his breast. Everything
pointed to murder and not suicide
The first emotion passed, Mother Dondaine
reganed her GOODNESS. She bent over the in
animate form of Larouettc and felt for signs
OF life, but saw at once that there was but u
rigid corpse before her, and she ran as fast
as her years would permit to the police sta
ton, telling every one she met on the way of
her terrible discovery. An hour later NJ.
LacroiX, the conmissary of police at YER
sailles, arrived with Dr. Martinaud, of Vile
d'Avray. The two men and the woman en-.
tered the house, while crowds gathered
around it.
NJ. Lacrox questioned Mother Dondane,
but she could give him no information.
"Do you know said he, whether NJ La
rouette had any important sum Of money in
his secretaryP
Il do not, sir. He was not man to con-
fide his business secrets to any one"
NJ. Lacroix made search of the premises,
while the doctor examined the body.
"The victim defended himself" said he
look, here are traces of finger nails and
other marks which prove that they have
tria oil first ~ Ell n,..l h.
did not die quick enough they finished him
with pistol shot, which proves that we are
not in presence of the deed of vulgar
assassin, but man in haste to finish and
who must have lost his head, for detona-
tion in the middle of the night is very inn
prudent. The house is not isolated. The
Villa Montaais is but two steps from here.
Ii NJ. or Nine. Laroque or their servants
were not i'll bed they must have heard the
pistol shot"
Il will question them directly. Can you
| give any idea OF how long he has been dead p
ole must have been dead since between IL
| and II o'clock The murderer doubtless used
a small pocket pistol Here is the ball, which
| l found in the heart. Death must have been
| instantaneous. And the doctor gave Iacroix
the bit of hattened lead. Lacrox had made
package of all the papers in the desk, and
they prepared to leave. I'VE have nothing
more to do here" he said, and they closed the
doors and went to the house of Roger
Laroquc. When Victoria announced NJ. La
croix Henriette grew deathly pale. Great
CODY thought she, do they suspect alreadyF
At this thought she felt IA if death had seized
her, and she gathered her courage and crept
into the parlor as though weighed down 10y
an invisible burden, yet resolved TO bear it.
Excuse me, madame, for troubling you
hut la,t 81 hit here at a few steps from youl
house, We "orHwitted = arusi,sl crime. !
man was as.-,.a..u.,i, douu,.ys, iC. tle par
pose of robbery, and have come to ask few
questions of you"
"Of me, sir, What can l tell your
"Last night there was "A pistol fired in the
house next door, which is opposite you, The
windows were open, and thought possibly
that some OF you might have heard some